2022 China Tourism Day Main Event Held to Celebrate Wonderful Journeys

On the morning of May 19, 2017, the launch ceremony of China Tourism Day and the Beijing Tourism Volunteer Service event took place at the picturesque Shichahai area in Xicheng District. Attendees included Cheng Hong, Vice Mayor of Beijing; Xu Zhijun, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Municipal Government; Du Lingxin, Director of the Xicheng District People’s Congress; Ren Jiayan, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Department of the National Tourism Administration; An Jinming, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development; Xu Li, Deputy District Chief of Xicheng District; and Wang Songsong, Vice President of the Beijing Elderly Industry Association. Leaders from related departments such as the Capital Civilization Office and the Communist Youth League Beijing Committee, along with approximately 200 tourism professionals and volunteers from Beijing, also participated.

The theme of the 2017 China Tourism Day was “Tourism Makes Life Happier.” The booming tourism industry has motivated more people to engage in leisure travel, allowing them to gain broader perspectives, expand their knowledge, cultivate sentiments, achieve spiritual joy, and enhance their sense of happiness. Through organizing a series of activities for China Tourism Day, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development encouraged tourism enterprises to introduce people-friendly policies, increase promotional efforts, enrich tourism product offerings, improve public services, strengthen safety measures, and advocate civilized travel—ultimately meeting the growing tourism needs of the public.

In recent years, to improve the happiness index of travelers, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development has made significant efforts in building the tourism public service system. With enhancing “tourist satisfaction” as the starting point, a range of initiatives have been implemented: advancing toilet reforms to make restroom use more convenient; optimizing accessibility measures to offer warmer travel experiences; improving signage for more worry-free travel; prioritizing “senior travel” to bring more joy to elderly tourists; promoting smart tourism for more efficient services; innovating volunteer services to refine the tourism support system; bringing tourism into communities for more practical services; developing tourist-friendly transit for easier travel; and regulating tourism order for a more orderly market. Data shows that in the first quarter of 2017, complaints related to “illegal one-day tours” dropped to 261, a year-on-year decrease of 46%, demonstrating the clear effectiveness of the combined approach of “clearance” and “regulation” in tackling tourism chaos.

At this year’s China Tourism Day event site, three service zones were set up: the “People-Friendly and Convenient Tourism Service Zone,” showcasing the appeal of Beijing tourism, district-level tourism policies, and recommended routes; the “Tourism Legal Service Zone,” where citizens could learn about civilized tourism and legal rights protection; and the “Youth Tourism Volunteer Service Zone,” where multilingual volunteers improved convenience and service quality through guidance in Chinese and foreign languages.

An Jinming, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, noted that the number of tourism volunteers in the city has been steadily growing. These young volunteers have provided extensive services during major events such as the New Year’s Day celebrations at Tiananmen Square, national holidays, the World Tourism Cities Federation Summit, and the International Tourism Festival, as well as at key attractions like Prince Gong’s Mansion and the Forbidden City, especially during peak tourist seasons.

Li Jianing, a tourism volunteer from Beihang University, said that being a tourism volunteer is very meaningful—it not only helps many unfamiliar visitors but also enriches her own social experience. Ensuring every tourist arrives happy and leaves satisfied is not only the heartfelt wish of tourism workers but also the goal of volunteers. The volunteer team is committed to making Beijing more beautiful, more civilized, and all tourists happier and more fulfilled through dedication and mutual help. After the event, volunteers spontaneously collected white garbage around Shichahai to advocate for environmental protection and civilized tourism.

It is reported that in celebration of China Tourism Day, tourism departments across Beijing’s districts have launched a variety of colorful activities.

During the China Tourism Day event period, the Xicheng District Tourism Commission organized four tourism lectures, bringing essential travel knowledge, common sense, rules, and interesting stories to local residents in an educational yet entertaining manner, fostering a positive tourism environment and civilized travel culture. Additionally, five recommended travel routes across Xicheng were introduced. Moreover, leveraging the occasion of China Tourism Day, the commission also organized themed volunteer activities to promote civilized tourism and encourage a better tourism environment.

On the day of China Tourism Day, Shunyi District offered free admission to three attractions for tourists: the Jiaozhuanghu Tunnel Warfare Site Memorial, Hanshiqiao Wetland Park, and Shunxin Green Holiday Resort.

Changping District held a distribution event for the “Changping Tourism All-in-One Card.” Visitors who scanned a QR code and followed the “Fall in Love with Changping” WeChat account could receive one free card, with 5,000 cards distributed in total. Meanwhile, the Yanqing UNESCO Global Geopark launched a high-quality geological science tour route and kicked off the Yanqing Summer Cool-Off Season, organizing activities such as self-driving, cycling, and hiking tours.

Tongzhou District not only provided free entry to many attractions, but some fruit and vegetable picking farms also offered tourists discounts of 15% or 20% on produce picking.

For details on activities in other districts, please visit the Beijing Tourism website at www.visitbeijing.com.cn.